The instant invention comprises an improvement over the emergency wheel disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,027, dated July 12, 1977.
Various forms of emergency wheels heretofore have been provided for ready attachment to the outer side of a vehicle wheel having a flat tire mounted thereon. Some of these emergency wheels include relatively shiftable sections thereof shiftable between collapsed positions defining less than a full circular outer periphery and extended positons forming a full circular outer peripheral portion. However, most of these previously known forms of emergency wheels not only require initial mounting of the emergency on an associated wheel having a flat tire associated therewith, but also manipulation of the emergency wheel to compensate for the flatten peripheral portion of the associated vehicle tire during mounting of the emergency wheel thereon and also manual shifting of the relatively movable components of the emergency wheel to the full circular outer periphery defining state of the emergency wheel and locking of the shiftable wheel components in the full circular outer periphery defining positions.
Accordingly, a need exists for an emergency wheel constructed in a manner whereby shifting of the relatively movable emergency wheel sections to the inoperative positions thereof for mounting on an associated vehicle wheel may be readily effected and subsequent shifting of the emergency wheel sections to the operative positions thereof after mounting of the emergency wheel on an associated vehicle wheel may be automatically accomplished. Also, in some instances a vehicle wheel bearing will "freeze" locking the wheel stationary and there is also a need for an emergency wheel including a vehicle wheel mountable hook portion and an outer periphery defining portion mounted on the hub portion for selective rotation relative thereto.